Digital Signatures

Is it time to learn more about digital signatures? At the 2008 Convention and Exposition, the NCRA Technology Evaluation Committee sponsored a two-part seminar on digital signatures on transcripts. A panel of industry experts, including Patricia Hahn, Alex Kasperavivius, Michael Miller and Leigh Ann Orozco, discussed transcripts in digital format followed by a hands-on seminar. We were able to get permission to reproduce several of the hand-outs below. This topic is changing rapidly, so we will continue to update the how-tos as needed and add material as it comes in.

NCRA is providing this information to aid reporters in learning more about digital signatures but should not be seen as an endorsement of any specific product or digital signatures in general. Advisory Opinions 37 and 40 discuss some of the ethical implications of using digital signatures. And, as always, it is the responsibility of the reporter to comply with the rules and regulations in their jurisdiction.

For more of a general background on digital signatures,  please review the articles below:

• Digital Signatures in Plain English June 2009 [Adobe Acrobat]
• “Why You Need A Digital Signature Now”  July/August 2008
• “Signatures in a Digital Age” November/December 2008

How To's

• Step 1:  Decide whether you want to use your CAT software or a transcript management software program (RealLegal, PDF-IT!, Adobe Pro, or Visionary V-Print) to digitally sign your transcripts.
• Step 2.  If you choose RealLegal, PDF-It! or Visionary V-Print, proceed to their instructions below.
  • If you choose your CAT system, proceed to the "How to Purchase your Verisign Digital Signature.”
  • If you are a Case CATalyst user, proceed to "Case CATalyst Is Digital-Signature Ready!” (Case CATalyst also allows you to import your imaged (electronic) signature into your transcript.  Instructions are found in "How to Insert an Electronic Signature (Image) into Your Case CATalyst transcript.")
• Step 3.  If you chose using your CAT system and are using a CAT system other than Case CATalyst, you will need to purchase a PDF converter program that applies your digital signature to the transcript during conversion. Please proceed to "How to Apply Your Digital Signature to CAT Transcript Using 'Print2PDF.'"
  • How to Digitally Sign Text in Adobe Pro [Adobe Acrobat]
  • Case CATalyst is Digital-Signature Ready! – Presented by Judy Wolf, Stenograph [Adobe Acrobat]
  • PDF-It! and Digital Signatures [Adobe Acrobat]
  • How to Insert an Electronic Signature (Image) Into Your Case CATalyst Transcript  [Adobe Acrobat]
  • How to Apply Your Digital Signature to CAT Transcript Using “Print2PDF” – Presented by Dorothy McGrath [Adobe Acrobat] 
  • How to Purchase and Install Your Verisign Digital Signature – Presented by Morgan Babin, Reporting Solutions [Adobe Acrobat]
  • How to Apply RealLegal's Digital Signatures [Adobe Acrobat]